About the BBPI

The Bighorn Basin Paleontological Institute is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to paleontology and earth science research, education, and outreach. We harness the universal appeal of dinosaurs to engage people of all interest levels and backgrounds to promote the earth and natural sciences. The greatest strengths of the institution lie in our seamless integration of collaborative scientific research, educational programming, and world-class, immersive citizen science experiences.

The BBPI seeks to be a world-class center of paleontological research and education, and an important resource for paleontologists, natural scientists, and citizen scientists seeking to more fully understand and interpret the natural world.

Our Mission

The Bighorn Basin Paleontological Institute seeks to collaboratively study, actively preserve, and dynamically interpret the paleontological treasures of the Bighorn Basin and the surrounding region, as well as to promote paleontology and the natural sciences to life-long learners, wherever they may be.

Our Action Plan

The goal of the Bighorn Basin Paleontological Institute, simply put, is to inspire life-long learners of all ages. Through collaboration and discovery, our scientists contribute to our understanding of the ancient worlds preserved in these rugged landscapes. Our educators interpret those discoveries, captivating visitors and participants through interactive public outreach, museum exhibitry, immersive experiences, and opportunities to engage in hands-on, academic, scientific research. Together, we will preserve and foster stewardship of these precious natural resources, while cultivating appreciation and love for the natural world, both past and present.

Image Credit: B. Malinowski

We Believe . . .

We believe that science is an adventure - an adventure in exploration and discovery. There is no more fundamentally human or important endeavor than to explore.

We believe that science has the power to inspire the global community, and that all children - fueled by endless imagination and insatiable curiosity - are inherently natural scientists.

We believe that science is exquisitely capable of asking and answering questions about the natural world, revealing the universe's fundamental truths. As such, we believe that science and reason are the best tools for addressing and solving the world’s most pressing problems.

We believe that scientific discovery builds on the findings of other scientists. We believe that scientists have no greater responsibility than to communicate their work, sharing their discoveries to inspire others in the pursuit of knowledge.